New Rochelle, NY, February 3, 2021 – The Monroe Express women's basketball team went off for 18 consecutive points over a eight-minute period between the end of the second quarter and the beginning of the third, racing past ASA Manhattan, 78-61, at the Monroe Athletic Complex on Thursday evening. The Express's second straight win improved their record to 15-7 while the Avengers fell to 3-10.   
 
Four Express players and three starters finished the contest in double-figures for the second straight game. Freshman Nyeira Spady's (New Rochelle, New York) spearheaded the offensive attack dropping a career-high 27 points, 14 in the first quarter, and 22 overall in the first half. Spady also went a career-best 12-for-21 from the field, while classmate Taina Maldonado (New York, New York) made an impact again, draining a career-high 16 points, nine of them in the third quarter, for her second straight double-digit scoring performance. Maldonado also missed her second double-double of the year by one rebound, hauling down a team-best nine boards.

Maldonado and Spady tied for a game-best five steals with classmate Shashauna Ballantyne (Brooklyn, New York), who chipped in with 10 points alongside sophomore Tariah Bryant (Brooklyn, New York). Bryant and Maldonado also dished out a game-high four assists each, while freshman Maria Negron (Bronx, New York) posted a game-best four blocks.

Monroe-Bronx forced 39 turnovers on the night and scored 30 points off them while outscoring ASA Manhattan 52-30 in the paint. The Express also held the Avengers to 14.3% three-point shooting (2-for-14).
 
Two large runs by both teams dictated the narrative in the first quarter. After trading the first 12 points, ASA Manhattan constructed an 18-6 run to build their largest lead of the evening by 12, 24-12 at 2:25 on an Idalis Lee jumper. Monroe-Bronx closed out the period with authority putting together a 10-0 run to cut the deficit down to two, 24-22 after the first quarter.

The Express carried that momentum into the second quarter scoring seven of the first eight points to tie it at 24, on a Fatima Thompson (Bronx, New York) layup at 9:51. Then Monroe-Bronx stretched the lead to four, 29-25 on a Mariame Gueye (Harlem, New York) three-pointer at 8:05 before the Avengers rolled off the following six points to tie the game up at 29 on a Destiny Bradshaw layup at 6:59 and retake the lead 31-29 on a pair of free-throws by Shantika Williams at 6:33. The Express closed out the first half on a 14-5 run to tie at 31 on two free-throws at 5:59 by Bryant and increased the margin to seven on a Bryant steal and layup with fourteen seconds to go giving the hosts a 43-36 halftime lead.
 
The Express put the game away over the first 4:50 of the third quarter, erupting for a 14-0 run to build their lead to 21 points, 57-36, the largest of the game on a Maldonado put back at 5:10 and outscoring the Avengers 19-9 in the period to lead 62-45 going into the final stanza. ASA Manhattan tried to fight back, getting the deficit down to 17, but Monroe-Bronx never let up, cruising the rest of the way in the fourth quarter to a 78-61 victory.
 
For ASA Manhattan, three players scored in double-figures, and two had double-doubles, with Destiny Bradshaw putting up a team-high 17 points and bringing down 14 rebounds. Idalis Lee hauled down a game-high 17 rebounds and swatted a team-high two shots while adding 11 points of her own. Shantika Williams scored 16 points and gobbled up a team-best three steals. Shaelela Jeffreys also dished out a team-high three assists.
 
The Express women's basketball team will look to extend their winning streak to three this Saturday, February 5, against Springfield Technical College at 5 p.m. at the Monroe Athletic Complex. For more information, visit the Monroe Express Women's Basketball Schedule Page.

 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 36 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports program, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 17 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress), and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).